Hello December

So Thanksgiving just flew by and now we are less than 2 weeks until Christmas, how did that happen??!!

I completely overbook myself and kids the months of November and December and I absolutely love it.  There is so much to do this time of year, we can rest in January.

I hung out with my guy Andy Cohen

kicked off the Christmas season with tea at the Ritz

trimmed the tree

checked out the activities around town

did our annual big bear brunch

decorated gingerbread houses

watched my kids dance

sing

act

and play

  Been to plenty of work parties for the hubby

and my favorite shopping party for me

I've done the cookie exchange

and we have already been to 2 breakfasts with Santa

We still have so many activities,

 and I am saving the best for last

The Nutcracker

with a pre show tea with the cast mastes

Santa at the symphony

wild lights at the zoo

my annual girls Christmas dinner and gift exchange

the BEST breakfast with Santa in the city

Holiday brunch at American Girl Doll

and Christmas Eve dinner at our house



But before Christmas I have the 1 final activity that I am not looking forward to at all

ugg!!

Christmas with my Girls

Having a Christmas party with my friends was a great way to end my weekend, although it did make Monday morning a little rough.  In addition to eating and drinking we had a little gift exchange, everyone brought a $40 gift.  We played rob your neighbor with the gifts, but I could have gone home with any one of the them and would have been completely happy.

 2 girls brought the Bobbi Brown holiday lip gloss trio

Amazing Grace trio (I actually brought this, I just LOVE this scent)

Birchbox snow day edition.  I thought this was so clever and fun.  It is sometimes hard to buy a present that everyone will like but this gift took care of that.  It had socks, hot coca, lipstick, scrabble, perfume and a few other surprises inside

The hot gifts for the night were jewelry. 

amazing necklaces!!

Kendra Scott earrings 

J Crew sparkle

I ended up with the perfect gift

gold bangles and a jewelry dish.

ho ho ho

Christmas with the Girls

Tonight I have my annual Christmas dinner with my girlfriends.  We have been doing this dinner for the past 7 years and I always look forward to this fun night.  We each take turn hosting, my friend Mandi is hosting tonight and we were each told to bring a bottle of our favorite champagne, an appetizer to share, and a $30 gift.

I am bringing a cava instead of a champagne, this one is my favorite and is about $12.00 a bottle.  If you ever see this in your store I suggest you buy it!!  (and of course drink it)

For my appetizer I relied on pinterest.  Mandi wanted to make sure we had some hearty apps so I decided on the sausage balls, I have never had these but how can sausage and cheese be bad!!

The hardest part was finding a gift, I had my mind made up that I was going to buy something at Nordstrom a couple weeks ago when I went to the Nordy's Christmas Party.  It was 10 points for every dollar you spent that night so it was a no brainer.  I had a few ideas when I showed up at the party...

Ultimately I ended up getting this..

and I am so excited, this necklace just flew out of the store and you cannot find it anywhere!!

Returning to the Scene of the Crime

My next door neighbor (and dear friend) who had us over for a Santa visit Tuesday night, had a girls only Holiday party last night. I tucked the kids in bed and snuck over for some festivities. I might be in rehab by January!